


christmas with a view

by deputyydipshit



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Annoyed Waverly Earp, Christmas, F/F, Friends to Lovers, I'm so sorry for how big of a mess this will be, Nicole is a chef btw, Slow Burn, but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28266552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deputyydipshit/pseuds/deputyydipshit
Summary: A ski resort is buzzing when a celebrity chef is named the new head chef. Waverly isn't excited about her new boss, but with their paths constantly crossing, Waverly realizes that they have more in common than they first thought. They're drawn together instantly, but hidden secrets could turn their Christmas together from magical to miserable.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, earp sisters - Relationship
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65





	1. new girl in town

**Author's Note:**

> So...I promised by Twitter followers a Christmas fic this year, and that I would try to make it multi-chapter. Key word there is TRY. I've been writing since November and only have two chapters done, so this will definitely be a winter-long fic. I hope that's okay with y'all!
> 
> Enjoy!

Christmas time in Purgatory was probably one of Waverly’s favorite times of the year. The small town wasted no time throwing up decorations on every square inch of open space they could find. Christmas was the season of giving, and Purgatory had...not a lot to offer for tourists, so they dolled up their humble little ghost town in hopes of bringing business to Shorty’s, stores, and bakeries for the holiday season.

Waverly Earp, history buff and small business extraordinaire, wandered the streets in the early afternoon of her last day off from work. It wasn’t the world’s best job, but she had to make do with what the Ghost River Triangle had to offer. After moving home from the Big City and suffering the loss of her restaurant, Waverly was forced to move in with her sister and find a job that didn’t make her want to absolutely ram her head through a wall.

She started as a bartender and part-time waitress at Shorty’s bar, but quickly came to the realization that she preferred to  _ not _ be surrounded by drunken and overly confident men hitting on her every chance they got. That was when she saw the bulletin hanging in the police station one afternoon when visiting Wynonna after her shift. The Ghost River Ski Lodge, Purgatory’s main and only tourist attraction, was looking for a new restaurant manager. Considering the Gardners, Purgatory’s wealthiest family, owned the lodge, Waverly knew she would have no trouble landing the job.

“It comes with a lot of benefits, and a large paycheck,” ski resort general manager, Beth Gardner, had told her. Waverly left the lodge that same day with a new job. 

One year later, Waverly was still as happy as ever working there, and was still extremely thankful for the income. With her salary, and the amount Wynonna got paid at her own job, the sisters were able to afford a relatively decent apartment in the downtown Purgatory area. They lived off of leftovers from the lodge and old doughnuts stolen from the station, but neither sister could complain. The life they lived now was so much better than the lives they lived when they were younger.

Waverly came to a stop just outside the glass doors to the sheriff’s station and used her free hand to pull the door open, the other being occupied by a tray of coffee. She walked in and was immediately greeted by one of the very few the sheriff’s deputies, Lonnie, and gave him a curt nod as she made her way to the back of the building where she found Dolls and Wynonna standing near the evidence lockers.

“I’m telling you, no one just leaves one shoe hanging around a crime scene by accident.”

“So you expect me to believe that a wanted convict is trying to send us a message?”

“Dolls, what I’m saying is that just because he’s a criminal doesn’t mean he can’t be used as bait for some sort of ulterior motive!” Dolls caught Waverly’s eye from over Wynonna’s shoulder and cleared his throat. Wynonna turned around and sighed a sigh of relief.

“Am I interrupting?” Waverly asked cautiously.

“We were just debriefing today’s case,” Dolls replied, taking the coffee the brunette offered him. “I’ll take this to Jeremy,” he added and took another cup before walking out of the room.

“Rough day so far, huh?” Waverly walked over to her sister and gave her a quick side hug.

“Boss man has just been in a big mood ever since Lucado decided to give me a badge,” Wynonna rolled her eyes and took the last coffee from the tray.

“So you’re officially a cop now?” Waverly asked excitedly.

“Hell no. I’m an agent, with no affiliation to the bastardized and corrupt police industry. This badge changes nothing about who I am except that now I’m legally protected. I still have Peacemaker and my extremely good looks. I’m far from a cop.”

“Either way, I’m still proud of you,” Waverly beamed.

“Thanks, baby girl. How’s your time off been?”

Waverly shrugged and looked around the station as Wynonna took a sip from her coffee. Her sister had offered her a position with Black Badge more than once, saying they could use someone with Waverly’s skill set and interest in history on their team, but Waverly knew a government agent wasn’t her future.

“It’s been kind of nice actually, not having to worry about running orders or watching over a sometimes very messy and unorganized kitchen staff.”

As if on cue, Waverly’s phone vibrated in her back pocket. The younger Earp sighed and pulled her phone out, knowing who was calling before even reading the name.

“What is it, Chrissy?”

Wynonna sipped on her coffee and studied her sister’s face while the blonde rambled on from the other end of the call. Clearly it was something important, Waverly’s eyebrows knitting together in concentration, but also frustration. Wynonna couldn’t make out every word Chrissy was saying, but she assumed it had to do with the restaurant and the lodge, which was never good news for Waverly.

“Well did you ask her about it? I mean, she  _ is _ the owner of the lodge,” Waverly pinched the bridge of her nose and leaned back against the wall.

_ “What do you think I am, stupid?” _ Chrissy replied and Waverly rolled her eyes.

“If you really think we’re going to be that busy tonight, then I guess I’ll be there in ten,” Waverly sighed and ended the call, looking at Wynonna with sad eyes.

“Does this mean movie night is cancelled? Again?”

“I’m sorry, Wyn, but I just don’t feel comfortable leaving Chrissy in charge when she’s certain we’re going to have a large dinner rush.”

“I get it, Dolls is the same way with me. You have to keep all of your ducks in a row. We’ll just reschedule for...some other time. Don’t worry about it, baby girl,” Wynonna winked and hugged Waverly before nudging her toward the door.

\- - - - -

_ “Welcome back to Can You Stand The Heat. We started this season out with fifty amazing celebrity chefs, and narrowed it down to just three. So...who’s it gonna be?” _

The host turned away from the cameras and faced the audience, smirk on her face, as she began announcing the final three contestants.

_ “Perry Crofte, whose big talent is only second to his big brain?” _

Perry casually walked out from backstage with his hands in his pockets and the audience erupted into cheers and applause. He stopped and pretended to show off his muscles for the camera, tossing a wink and toothy smile to the audience.

_ “Or Champ Hardy, the only baker who has what it takes to rise to the top? Tortured artist of cakes and pastries alike.” _

A man a few inches shorter than Dolls walked out and was met with the same cheers and applause. He stood next to the other man with his arms crossed, and legs slightly apart in an attempt to claim dominance. His tattoos and short haircut gave the impression that he was, in fact, a prick.

_ “Or will it be Purgatory’s hottest celebrity chef, restauranter and bachelorette, Nicole Haught?” _

A tall, redheaded woman ran out from backstage and threw her hands in the air as the audience rose to their feet, cheering and clapping. Nicole stood tall with a smug smirk on her face and winked at a small group of ladies in the front row, causing them to scream louder. Nicole took her place next to Champ, who muttered something under his breath and lightly bumped Nicole with his shoulder.

_ “Well, we’ve waited so long to see the best of the best slice and dice, and sift it out. And now for the winner…” _

The program’s music shifted to a more suspenseful tune as the audience watched in anticipation.

_ “Champ…”  _ The audience gasped collectively as the tatted baker stepped forward.  _ “You are...not the winner.” _

_ “Oh come on!”  _ Champ shouted. _ “This is bullshit. This thing is rigged,”  _ he angrily ripped the microphone from under his shirt.  _ “These two wouldn’t even know a puff pastry from a Danish pastry.” _

Perry and Nicole watched as Champ stormed off screen, shouting profanities along the way. The two remaining chefs shared a glance and held back their laughter as the host continued.

_ “And this year’s “Can You Stand the Heat” celebrity champion is...Nicole Haught!” _

…

The kitchen staff erupted into cheers as the winner was announced. Some high-fived while others exchanged money for bets placed at the beginning of the season. They watched Nicole shake the host’s hand and began talking amongst themselves about which of Nicole’s dishes they thought was the best.

“Guys?” Waverly’s voice barely rose above the collective chatter. When no one responded, she grabbed the TV remote and turned the volume down. “Guys.”

“Guys!” Waverly shouted a third time, gaining the attention of her staff. “If you’re looking for something to do, maybe your jobs could use a little attention?”

“But Waves–” Chrissy tried to explain, but Waverly cut her off.

“Yes, I know, but we have a big day ahead of us apparently. So, we need to get going. Like now. Thank you,” Waverly smiled as the staff dispersed to start their pre-shift duties.

“Oh, Waverly, you might as well own this place,” Chrissy said to her friend.

Waverly laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no, I am just happy managing.”

“Yeah, but your restaurant in the City was great. I mean, I could just imagine what you’d do to this place.”

“Well, enough about that. Let’s just worry about these guests.”

“Nicole won!” Chrissy whined and motioned to the TV.

“Yeah, good for Nicole,” Waverly rolled her eyes.

“Everyone loves Nicole.”

“I have a table of seven coming in. Can you please help me set up?” Waverly quickly changed the subject.

“Fine, okay,” Chrissy sighed. “She’s...really cute, though.”

Waverly chucked and watched her friend grab the appropriate amount of silverware for the table. She glanced back at the TV and watched as Nicole was handed a small trophy.

_ “Remember that name, folks. Nicole Haught. She’s the country’s most famous chef, and most eligible bachelorette. Breaking eggs, breaking hearts...Nicole Haught, everybody!” _

Waverly bit back a smile and turned the TV off. She rolled her eyes and turned to walk toward the kitchen.

\- - - - -

Waverly worked her shift as any normal busy night, running food and walking around checking on guests. The holiday season was upon them and that meant more couples coming out to celebrate date nights or anniversaries, so it was no shock to Waverly to see so many tables full of happy couples chatting about and eating.

She retrieved a couple dirty dishes from a now vacant table and took a table’s drink order on her way to drop them off to the dishwasher. After delivering the dishes to be washed, Waverly made her way over to the bar and asked for two glasses of red wine. Across the room, she heard a man call out to her and clap his hands.

Waverly sucked in a sharp breath and closed her eyes, hearing him call and clap again. She rarely saw customers like this, even despite their demographic of customers being wealthy business owners, so when she encountered one it was tough to not snap.

“How can I help you today?” Waverly gave her brightest and warmest smile to the couple.

The man looked up at her and scoffed. “I ordered a rare steak and it’s not bleeding.”

“Well you seemed to have enjoyed the first half of it,” the woman across from him, presumably his date, said.

“Yeah but...I didn’t love it. Shouldn’t I love my steak...Waverly?” The man asked looking at the necklace hanging around her neck, her name written on it.

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t guarantee you love with this steak, but I  _ can _ get you a new one. Rare, and extra bloody.”

“Touchdown!” The man exclaimed and winked at the woman across from him.

“Oh, wow. Well, this date is over, and I am  _ so sorry _ about that,” the woman said to Waverly. “Is there a taxi stand outside? I’ll just…” She stood up and quickly left the table.

“I’ll be back in just a minute,” Waverly smiled awkwardly and walked back to the kitchen.

“I bet you’re glad to be back, huh?” Chrissy asked her in passing.

“Over the moon,” Waverly deadpanned.

\- - - - -

The end of the night was finally upon them and Waverly had never clocked out of a shift quicker in her life. Being thrown into the middle of a busy day after a week of not working at all was way more stressful than she thought it would be. She quickly changed into more comfortable clothes in the bathroom and met Chrissy in the lobby of the lodge.

“I seriously can’t wait to get home. I’m exhausted,” Waverly groaned.

“I know. Me too. Okay, but first I have  _ got _ to go use the bathroom.”

“Again? You just went to the bathroom.”

“Yeah, and?” Chrissy shrugged. “I gotta go again.”

Waverly stared at the blonde for a moment and raised an eyebrow. “Have you been stealing cheese from the kitchen again?”

“So?”

“So, you’re lactose intolerant,” Waverly laughed.

“I am not! Cheese just makes my stomach gurgle just a little bit.”

“Right, right. My bad,” Waverly held back a laugh and nodded. “Enjoy your cheese.”

“Can you hold my bag?” Chrissy shoved her purse into Waverly’s hands before she could answer. “Thanks, love you!”

Waverly shook her head and chucked when Chrissy walked away. Her smile faded, however, when she saw a familiar face enter the lobby.

Nicole Haught strolled in with a duffle bag slung across her shoulder and a bright red toque on her head, battling with her orange hair for dominance of color. Waverly’s breath caught in her throat as she became both awestruck and aggravated.

“Hi, I’m just checking in,” Waverly overheard the redhead say to the concierge.

So overcome with emotion she didn’t know how to process, Waverly dropped Chrissy’s purse and watched as several different types of cheeses spilled out onto the floor. She groaned and knelt down to pick them up before anyone noticed, frantically grasping at the cheese.

“Can I help you with this?” An unfamiliar voice asked and a pale hand entered Waverly’s periferal.

Waverly looked up and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Nicole there next to her. She cleared her throat and shoved a block of Gouda into the bag.

“Oh, uh, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Nicole smiled.

“This isn’t actually my cheese,” Waverly rushed out.

“Right. Well, this is a nice piece of Gruyère.”

Waverly sighed. “It’s still not mine. It’s...um…”

“A friend’s?”

“Yes,” Waverly nodded. “Not mine.”

The two chuckled and stood up, sharing a brief glance in the moment of silence. Waverly cleared her throat and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Anyway, uh...enjoy your stay at Ghost River Lodge.”

“Thank you…” Nicole squinted slightly in the dim light and read Waverly’s necklace. “Waverly.”

“How did you…” Waverly trailed off as she remembered. “It’s on my necklace.”

“Right.”

“Well, have a good night.”

“You too,” Nicole chuckled.

“Bye,” Waverly laughed nervously as Nicole walked back to the front desk.

Chrissy emerged from the bathroom just in time to see the last of their exchange and gasped loudly.

“Do you know who that is?” She asked excitedly.

“Mm-hmm, yep. Mm-hmm.”

“It’s Nicole—”

“Hey! Shh!” Waverly whispered and clamped a hand over Chrissy’s mouth. “Not so loud.”

“It’s Nicole Haught!” Chrissy exclaimed more quietly.

“I know. I know.”

“You know, from that reality show earlier!”

“Yeah, yep,” Waverly nodded.

“She’s standing— She’s here! Oh, she’s even more attractive in real life,” Chrissy gasped and looked at Waverly. “Did she make a pass at you?”

Waverly sighed. “No, Chris, she handed me your cheese,” she returned the purse to the blonde.

Nicole watched as the two women exited the building, whispering and laughing. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy in her gut, seeing other people happier than she’d been in months. The concierge gave her the key to her room and Nicole grabbed her bag. She walked over to the elegant Christmas tree, adorned with white lights and silver ornaments, and sighed. 

Nicole reached into her coat and retrieved a faded Polaroid of her and Shae from Christmas two years ago, the better days. The two were facing the camera, laughing and stringing lights onto their tree. It was an extremely candid photo but it was Nicole’s favorite. She stared at it for a few minutes and placed it back in her pocket before heading for the elevators.

…

“Nicole Haught is staying at our resort!” Chrissy giggled as she and Waverly walked to their cars.

“Well, you know, it’s not really  _ our _ resort.”

“Oh! Do you think she’ll come to the restaurant?”

“She might, yeah,” Waverly replied, unenthused.

“If I were Nicole Haught and I went to our restaurant what would I order?”

“Pizza,” Waverly deadpanned, not exactly interested in the topic of the conversation.

Chrissy gasped. “Yes! Pizza! I mean, if she’s the perfect woman, which we know she is, she would get pizza.”

The two continued talking until they reached their cars. They said their goodbyes and drove off, one excited about their new guest, and the other...still very confused.

\- - - - -

The following morning Waverly and her staff gathered for a pre-shift meeting with one of the two owners of the lodge, and youngest Gardner sister, Beth. Waverly got little to no sleep the night before, her mind racing with thoughts of Nicole and cheese, and so she found it hard to maintain focus on whatever Beth was saying.

“Christmas is just around the corner, and if Thanksgiving in October was any indication, I think we can expect it to be at least twice as busy this year,” Beth said.

Waverly sighed and picked at her fingernails, trying to keep a positive attitude. She loved Christmas, but hated working during it. It was the most busy time of the year for the lodge and every year brought her closer and closer to a breakdown.

“Also, before we break for opening, I have a very exciting announcement to make,” Beth continued. “To help with the busy season, and perhaps some marketing opportunities, we’ve hired a new head chef starting today. She’s a huge talent. Nicole Haught.”

Chrissy and Waverly looked at each other, one beaming with excitement and the other...not so much. Nicole walked out from the kitchen and shook Beth’s hand with a warm smile.

“It’s Nicole Haught. She’s not a guest! She’s with us,” Chrissy whispered.

“How fun,” Waverly forced a smile.


	2. friends make secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'll thank me for this chapter now, but hate me later. And I'm so not sorry for it at all.

“Now, I know Nicole wanted to get started meeting all of her staff. And we all have a lot of work to do getting ready for Christmas. So, let’s welcome Nicole, and make her feel at home,” Beth smiled at Nicole who then started making her way around, greeting the kitchen staff.

She came to stop in front of Waverly with a smug smirk on her face and crossed her arms. Waverly didn’t know why, but the look on Nicole’s face didn’t sit right with her. What was it, nerves? Fear? Attraction? She was too distracted to tell.

“Hi. Waverly. We met last night,” Waverly said awkwardly.

“Of course, yeah. The cheese girl,” Nicole smiled.

“Actually, no,  _ I’m _ cheese girl. Yeah, no that was my purse cheese,” Chrissy laughed. “But who cares? I’m Chrissy. And you’re Nicole.”

“Hi Chrissy,” Nicole smiled and shook Chrissy’s hand.

“Yeah, Waverly was holding my purse.”

“Oh! Well, that’s very nice of her,” Nicole shifted her smile to Waverly.

“She thinks I’m lactose intolerant, but I don’t think I am,” Chrissy continued to ramble on, causing Nicole to furrow her brow.

“Chrissy, remember when we talked about first impressions?” Waverly cut her friend off, thus ending the awkward conversation.

“Right, well,” Nicole cleared her throat. “That information may come in handy if I’m ever preparing you something in the kitchen.”

“See, I helped her,” Chrissy lightly shoved Waverly. “And you say I talk too much.”

The three of them laughed and Waverly shoved her hands into the pockets of her apron, avoiding eye contact with Nicole as much as possible.

“It was nice to meet you both formally,” Nicole smiled and nodded her head at Waverly before moving on to the next employee.

Waverly eyed Chrissy and crossed her arms as they made their way to the kitchen.

“Yeah, no, that woman needs to take it down a notch with the flirting,” Chrissy said.

“Yeah? Was she flirting with you?” Waverly asked incredulously with a fake pout.

“Oh!” Chrissy stopped abruptly and turned to face Waverly. “You  _ like her _ , don’t you?”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous,” Waverly scoffed.

“Oh, you  _ do _ like her. I can tell. And you know what? I’m going to see if she likes you.”

“No, please don’t,” Waverly practically begged.

“You can count on me,” Chrissy smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Waverly sighed and followed Chrissy. “I didn’t even say I liked her.”

“The first stage is always denial. But don’t worry, I’ve got this covered,” Chrissy winked and busied herself with a stack of dirty dishes.

Waverly rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. She didn’t like Nicole (did she?). She couldn’t. They barely knew each other, and she was extremely arrogant. Definitely not Waverly’s type.

The restaurant opened and the kitchen quickly became busy, as it always did. Waverly began taking and running orders, keeping watch over her staff whenever she caught a moment to breathe. She was curious as to what Nicole was going to add to their team, seeing as she was now Waverly’s boss. She had little hope for the redhead, but quickly came to realize that...she actually knew what she was doing.

Normally, Waverly assumed, those reality TV cooking shows were a scam and that the contestants really weren’t as good as the program made them out to be, but Nicole really  _ was _ good. Every time Waverly returned to the kitchen, she passed by Nicole who was always stationed behind one of the many counters preparing some dish or another. Every plate she made seemed to get better and better, garnishing each dish with spices and sauces alike. Waverly was impressed.

At some point during the night, the restaurant hit a lull and Nicole and Waverly found themselves nearly alone in a small area of the kitchen. Nicole was preparing, what seemed to be, some bacon wrapped scallops. She kept glancing over at Waverly, keeping her smile to herself. Waverly watched in silence, trying to conceal her staring by drying some dishes. She watched Nicole’s hands and was captivated by how deftly she made work with the tiny toothpicks she stuck through each roll.

“Waverly, can you come see for a moment?” Nicole asked after a few minutes passed.

Waverly abruptly stopped what she was doing and slowly walked over to the redhead, using the rag she had slung over her shoulder to dry her hands. As she approached, the smell of paprika and liquid smoke reached her nose and her mouth instantly began to salivate. Whatever Nicole had made smelled delicious.

“I want you to try something I’ve been working on. Beth and Mercedes asked me to create some new recipes to add to the menu, and this is the first.”

“What is it?” Waverly asked as she studied the plate.

“‘Bacon’ wrapped scallops with paprika sauce,” Nicole placed air quotes around the first word.

“Oh, Nicole, this looks and smells  _ amazing _ , but I can’t. I’m vegan.”

“I know,” Nicole smiled and Waverly looked shocked. “This isn’t real bacon. It’s made from tempeh. It gives the same texture and taste as real bacon, but it’s low in fat and cholesterol-free. Also these ‘scallops’? They’re mushrooms.”

“You...knew I was vegan?” Waverly asked, surprised.

“Chrissy told me,” Nicole replied.

“Of course she did,” Waverly muttered. “That little—”

“Waverly, I’m joking!” Nicole placed a hand on Waverly’s shoulder and chuckled. “Before I got here, I was given everyone’s resumes and saw you noted that you were vegan on yours.”

“Oh,” Waverly quickly looked away, face burning red.

“I want you to try it,” Nicole repeated.

“We’re really busy right now, and I don’t want someone to come in and get the wrong idea…” Waverly bit her lip.

“Waverly, the kitchen is almost dead right now. Dinner rush isn’t going to be for at least another two hours.”

Waverly looked between Nicole and the food, internally chastising herself for even considering giving the redhead any of her time. Nicole was right, dinner rush was far off and they were practically dead at the moment, but there was a big part of her that said this was a bad idea. Eventually, Waverly let herself cave and sighed.

“I’ll tell you what. I try one bite, give you my honest opinion, and then you help me finish these dishes that our washers are way too behind on.”

“Deal,” Nicole gave a dimpled smile and held her hand out. Waverly shook it and hummed in approval.

“So what exactly is this again?” Waverly asked and picked up one of the small circular foods.

“Vegan-friendly scallops with a rich paprika sauce, wrapped in vegan-friendly bacon.”

Nicole watched intently as Waverly took a bite, holding her breath and hoping for the best. She needed to earn Waverly’s approval, and if she liked this dish then she would be one step closer. Waverly chewed slowly, letting each flavor hit her tongue and captivate her taste buds. Staring Nicole down, Waverly finished off what was left in her hand and swallowed, keeping her face expressionless.

“Well…?” Nicole asked hopefully.

“As much as it pains me to say this...that was actually really tasty,” Waverly grinned.

“You mean it passes the Waverly Earp taste test?” Nicole grinned.

Waverly wiped her hands with the dish rag again and nodded, smile growing. “You really do have a talent, Nicole.”

“Why thank you, darlin’,” Nicole laid the southern accent on thick and winked. “Now let’s get to those dishes, yeah?”

Waverly smiled and tossed the rag to Nicole who caught it with an over exaggerated grunt. Waverly giggled quietly and walked over to the sink. Silently, the two of them started working on the large pile of dishes that had been abandoned by workers presumably on their smoke break. Glances were stolen, shoulders were bumped, and hands grazed under the surface of the soapy water. Nicole bit her lip and glanced over at Waverly. She opened her mouth to speak but Beth stuck her head into the kitchen before she could.

“Waverly?”

Waverly jumped and dropped the plate she was holding to the floor and it shattered.

_ “Fudgenuggets,” _ she hissed under her breath.

“I got it, go see what she needs,” Nicole offered.

“Thank you,” Waverly gave an apologetic smile and quickly made her way to her boss.

…

Nicole finished the dishes fairly quickly, cleaning up the plate Waverly dropped in the process. She checked her watch and noted they still had a little bit of time before the next rush was going to hit, so she decided to approach Chrissy, who was seated at the bar scrolling on her phone. If she wanted to learn more about Waverly, why not ask her supposed best friend?

Nicole fixed two soda waters and brought them over to where the blond was sitting. Chrissy looked up from her Twitter feed when she saw a new drink appear before her and was met with Nicole’s awkward smile.

“Two sodas, on the rocks,” Nicole joked and the two of them laughed.

“So,” Chrissy took a long sip from her drink. “You’re pretty smooth with your lady fans.”

Over the course of the day, several customers had requested to see and speak with Nicole at their tables. Word was released to the public about the redhead’s temporary stay at the lodge as kitchen manager and the news spread like wildfire across town. Fangirls and fanboys alike came flocking to the restaurant. Nicole, ever the polite one, tried to stop by as many tables as possible, denying date requests left and right.

Nicole shrugged and leaned against the bar. “They’re all interesting, that’s for sure. Fun fact, I got proposed to three times today. Three.”

“Wow. That’s...interesting.”

“Mhm, for sure,” Nicole scoffed.

“Well, I bet you have a bunch of lady fans, huh?” Chrissy pushed on.

“I mean, yeah. I guess,” Nicole shrugged and played with the straw of her drink.

“Okay, I see where this is headed,” Chrissy laughed.

“What’s that?” Nicole looked at the blonde, clearly confused.

“I should probably tell you I have a boyfriend. Just to be clear.”

“Oh, okay yeah. Thank—um thank you,” Nicole nodded.

“Yeah, he’s a city planner. Kind of a big deal.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Nicole smiled awkwardly. “So, what’s up with you and Waverly? Have you guys been friends a long time, or what?”

“Best friends since we were little kids,” Chrissy smiled proudly.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, we both grew up here in Purgatory. I never left, but Waves went to the Big City for a few years to open up her own restaurant.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, and it was a really nice place too. It just didn’t quite work out like she planned, you know?”

“Yeah, I mean, you know, the City is a tough market.”

“ _ But _ now she’s back, totally alone, and no partner to speak of.”

“So there’s no city planner, then?” Nicole chuckled.

“Nope.”

“No?”

“No,” Chrissy winked. “Anyone could just ask her out, and she’d probably say yes.”

“So what’s going on with her and Gardner over there?” Nicole motioned to the small table across the room where Waverly and Beth sat laughing and quietly discussing something.

“Oh please, there’s nothing going on over there...I don’t think.”

Nicole nodded and let her gaze linger on Waverly for a moment longer.

\- - - - -

The following morning Nicole decided to take an early morning walk around the city to see all Purgatory had to offer. It wasn’t much, as she had expected, but there was something about the small town that gave her a strange sense of comfort. Maybe it was the fact that everything was so close together, or how after only a couple days of being there she already knew her way around, but she felt like she belonged there. Snow fell silently to the ground, and the buzz of street lamps created a harmony of peace. Nicole took in the silence, knowing later that day she would have very little of it.

She came across a small cafe that looked to be open and decided she could use some warmth in the form of coffee. She walked inside and was greeted by warmth and the smell of gingerbread. The walls of the cafe were adorned with pictures, some black and white and some in color, as well as other signs sporting creative coffee puns. Nicole approached one of the pictures, two men in cowboy hats and western vests with impressive mustaches. Nicole chuckled quietly and read the plaque at the bottom of the frame.

_ Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp stand outside of the original Shorty’s Saloon. _

“Doc Holliday,” Nicole mumbled. “Now there’s a man who knew how to shoot.”

“The fastest gunslinger in the west,” the new voice startled Nicole.

“Nobody could outdraw him,” Nicole turned around to face the man with a smile and looked around. “This is a nice place you’ve got here.”

“Would you believe me if I told you it used to be a bar?”

“Well the western vibe tells me yes, but the soft jazz and retro espresso machines say no,” Nicole chuckled.

“The name’s Shorty,” the man introduced himself with an outstretched hand.

“Nicole Haught,” Nicole shook his hand firmly.

“Nicole Haught…” Shorty studied Nicole for a moment and smiled. “Black coffee with one creamer?”

“Damn, how’d you know?” Nicole followed Shorty to the counter and took a seat as he began preparing her coffee.

“After owning a bar for 25 years, you get pretty good at reading people.”

“So this place really used to be Shorty’s Saloon? Like–”

“Like the one in that picture you were studyin’ over there, yes. That’s the one,” Shorty smiled.

“This is the original location and everything? Why’d you turn it into a cafe?”

“My great-great-grandfather opened Shorty’s in 1899 and it soon after became Wyatt Earp’s favorite drinking spot. I carried on the family business as best I could, but with the times changing I guess these younger kids prefer coffee shops and cafes over bars.”

“I can see the appeal,” Nicole picked up the cup of coffee placed before her.

“So, Nicole Haught, you’re not from around here, are you?”

“What gave it away? Was it the accent?” Nicole joked causing Shorty to laugh. “No, I’m from Texas. Alpine, to be specific. I’ve been moving around for the past few years. I actually just took a job over at the Ghost River Lodge.”

“Oh, one of my favorite servers works there. It’s the Homebase, right?”

“The Homestead,” Nicole chuckled.

“Right, something like that. Her name is Waverly Earp.”

“Waverly. I do know Waverly,” Nicole nodded and took another sip of her coffee. “She’s actually the manager now. A very good one at that.”

“Oh, she’s terrific. She worked here part-time in college, and full time for a couple years before she went off to the Big City. You know, I don’t have any children of my own so Waverly is like a daughter to me almost.”

“That’s...that’s very sweet,” Nicole smiled.

“So what brings you from the Homestead to Shorty’s?”

“Well, uh...history, I guess,” Nicole shrugged. “I’m kind of interested in older, more family-run businesses. Traveling around, I get to see a lot of different mediums and when I heard Purgatory was home to Shorty’s bar, I just had to come check it out.”

“Well, business isn’t like it used to be but I can’t complain. The folks here are unlike folks from other places. I’d say the breakfast rush is what’s kept me afloat for the past few years,” the two shared a laugh and Nicole cleared her throat.

“I can see why. I mean, I smelled that gingerbread when I first walked in and immediately didn’t want to leave.”

“You should definitely come by one morning when things are in full motion, just to give you a real taste of Purgatory during Christmas.”

“I think I might take you up on that,” Nicole smiled and pushed her now empty coffee cup toward the older man. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go get ready for work.”

“I hope to see you back here soon, Nicole. Don’t be a stranger,” Shorty smiled.

“I won’t be, don’t worry. You have a good day, Shorty,” Nicole smiled and left some cash on the counter to cover her drink and tip, and began her walk home.

\- - - - -

Nicole arrived at the lodge in time for the lunch rush, running to the kitchen while attempting to tie her apron. She saw Beth on her way past the bar and tossed her a lopsided smile, knowing if she weren’t “famous,” she’d be in a load of trouble. Nicole entered the kitchen and it was a complete disaster. Cooks were arguing over dishes, servers confused about which plate contained what food, and Waverly stood behind it all with a worried look on her face. Her staff was confused by the recent menu changes and it was all Nicole’s fault.

_ “You can’t just leave the risotto alone or else it will burn and you have to start over!” _

_ “The romesco goes on top of the  _ fish _ , not the rice!” _

_ “The maple glaze is for the quail, not the chicken!” _

The shouting was surprisingly not heard from the dining room, but Niole knew sooner than later the arguing would get out of hand so she decided to step in and help.

“Guys!” She shouted and clapped her hands a few times. The kitchen quieted down immediately and all eyes were on the head chef. “I understand many of you are stressed and confused by the new menu changes, and I do apologize for being the reason behind those. But I want to let all of you know that it was not I who had the final say. The managers of this place wanted changes and they wanted them quickly. I plan to help every single one of you get through this rush and to master these new dishes, and I promise I’ll find a solution.”

“Nicole has all of our best interests. She isn’t here to ruin your job or make you rage quit,” Waverly spoke up. “As much as I wish Beth and Mercedes ran the menu changes by me before finalizing them, Nicole is in charge of us all here. And she seems to have the most experience. So we need to trust her.”

“I trust her!” Chrissy raised her hand. Everyone else muttered their approval, knowing in the end it wasn’t solely Nicole they could blame.

“Great!” Waverly clapped her hands together. “Now, let’s get back to work. If anyone has any issues please ask me or Nicole for help. It’s Christmas time, so let’s all try to spread some cheer instead of anger.”

Eventually, the kitchen fell into a steady rhythm of plating food and sending them out to tables. Since the new dishes were in the experimental phase, the Homestead had a temporary menu with a handful of dishes on it in order to get the cooks more acclimated with how they should be prepared. Knowing they only had four different dishes to work on made things run a little smoother, and with Nicole there to offer them guidance the afternoon rush seemed to end quickly.

Waverly was impressed with how well Nicole worked with everyone. It might have been because she was a celebrity and everyone was rooting for her on Can You Stand the Heat, but she found Nicole didn’t see it that way. Waverly noticed how cooking was a form of art for Nicole, each dish she garnished was like a painting getting its final touches. She was so delicate with everything and everyone and it made Waverly feel something in her stomach. With Nicole now the one in charge, Waverly found herself with a bit more free time to oversee the rest of the kitchen, yet most of that time was spent staring at Nicole.

The redhead captivated her in every way possible. She was bubbly and extroverted and arrogant yet humble at the same time. Waverly loved it, but would never admit it to anyone. Nicole had this mysterious aura about her, something she was trying hard to keep buried beneath the layers of her personality. Perhaps she had a secret, or maybe she was just a person who liked to keep to herself. After all, Nicole was an outsider in Purgatory. She knew no one, so why would she give her all to people who didn’t even know she was there? That thought alone made Waverly want to get to know her better.

When the dinner rush hit, the kitchen was slammed with orders so Waverly started running tables to help clear tickets quicker. Chrissy and the other waitstaff were grateful for the extra hands, and Nicole was just relieved to not be yelled at for pushing plates out too quickly. Waverly walked back into the kitchen and was immediately handed a dish. She looked down and realized it was the vegan bacon wrapped scallions Nicole had prepared for her the day before. Waverly looked up at Nicole who smiled and winked at her before motioning with her head to bring it out. Waverly felt her face redden and she bit her lip, quickly turning around and making her way to the dining room.

“I saw that,” Chrissy smirked in passing.

“What look? There was no look,” Waverly replied and pushed past her friend before she could reply.

…

After the kitchen was cleaned and everyone had gone home for the night, Waverly sat down at one of the small tables and ran through some of the restaurant’s numbers. Inventory was a small task compared to crunching numbers and ensuring the Homestead met its income quota every week so employees could continue to be paid. Beth had hinted to Waverly that some day the restaurant might be her’s, but she needed to prove to the Gardners that she was capable. If she could run a ski resort restaurant by herself, then maybe someday she would be able to open one of her own again, but this time manage to keep it open.

The food business wasn’t an easy one, but the effort was worth it to Waverly. Cooking made her happy, and her cooking made other people happy. Wynonna always told her she was wasting her talents working as a kitchen manager, but Waverly just couldn’t justify taking out another loan to open another restaurant after her first one sank after only a year and a half of being open. Waverly sighed, knowing she had a long night ahead of her, but was thankful for the peace and quiet she had by herself in the dimly lit dining room.

“You’re still here,” Nicole’s voice broke through the silence.

“Yeah. Um...I’m just getting a start on tomorrow,” Waverly chuckled quietly.

“Nice,” Nicole sat down in the second chair and rested her hands on the table. “Oh, hey. I just wanted to say thanks for helping out tonight.”

“Oh, yeah, no problem,” Waverly looked up at Nicole and smiled. “I mean, it’s better together right?”

“No, no, no, I agree,” Nicole rushed out. “I just mean, tonight was extra crazy. That, on top of the temporary menu and being a few cooks short, so...thank you.”

Waverly laughed and rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. That’s the third time this month we’ve had those cooks call in sick or give some other bullshit excuse for not being here.”

“Well,” Nicole leaned forward in her chair and watched as Waverly resumed writing on her clipboard. “I’m assuming that you probably didn’t have time for dinner tonight?”

Waverly stopped writing and looked up at Nicole, staring at her for a few seconds, biting back a smile. “No, but that’s okay. I’ll just grab something on the way home.”

“Oh, please. What do you mean? I’m gonna be making something for myself. You know? I mean, they say I’m not too terrible at this.”

“That’s true. I mean…” Waverly chuckled. “If what you served me yesterday was any indication of your skills then…”

“So is that a yes?” Nicole asked hopefully.

“You know, that’s a great idea, actually. But, you cooked all night,” Waverly stopped Nicole from getting up, gaining her attention. “How about I make us something?”

“You?” Nicole leaned back in her chair.

“Yeah,” Waverly nodded and smiled.

“Alright,” Nicole crossed her arms, dimples on full display.

“Yes?”

“I’m not gonna say no to that,” Nicole admitted.

Waverly winked at the redhead and made her way to the kitchen, Nicole close behind. Waverly got to work, wasting no time gathering the ingredients she needed to make a dish she knew Nicole would love. She needed to one up the dish Nicole had made her the day prior, so she went the one route she knew she could count on: pasta.

Nicole watched as Waverly prepared the noodles in boiling water while simultaneously sautéing some fresh mushrooms and peas in a separate pan. Nicole admired how she treated each ingredient with equal care, genuinely caring about the food she was preparing. It was becoming more and more clear to Nicole that she and Waverly used cooking as an escape, and that the two of them had more in common than she originally thought.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to help?” Nicole asked when Waverly started working on the cashew cream to pull the alfredo dish together.

“Well, if you grabbed a bottle of wine, I wouldn’t complain,” Waverly quickly glanced over her shoulder at Nicole.

“I mean, I can do that.”

“Yeah?” Waverly giggled.

Nicole chuckled and stepped up to the stove just as Waverly took a small step to the left, effectively trapping Waverly between herself and the counter. Waverly bit her lip and looked back at Nicole who acted as if she weren’t paying any attention.

“That just smells really good,” Nicole commented before seeing Waverly’s playful glare. She laughed and held her hands up, backing away slowly.

“I got this,” Waverly insisted.

“Right, right. I know,” Nicole smiled and turned around, walking into the wine cooler.

They ate in relative silence, the only sounds coming from their forks and knives scraping on their plates, and the occasional laugh or asking for more wine. Nicole found herself enjoying Waverly’s company way more than she should, and chalked most of it up to the food even despite knowing that wasn’t the truth. Waverly anxiously watched Nicole devour the vegan alfredo, hoping she wasn’t  _ too _ much out of practice.It felt good to cook again, and even more so for the attractive redheaded celebrity chef who came into her life like a whirlwind to be eating her food. Being around Nicole brought out a sense of confidence in Waverly, something she hadn’t seen in herself since she moved back to Purgatory.

Nicole must have noticed this, because when Waverly’s foot accidentally brushed against her own under the table, Nicole lightly kicked back. They giggled and hid their smiles under their napkins, but they knew what was going on. It had been ages since Nicole felt so at peace and comfortable around someone, so she tried to keep her head on straight. She couldn’t mess things up, especially with someone she worked with.

“I have to say, Waves. That was amazing,” Nicole wiped the corners of her mouth and picked up her glass of wine.

“Well, thank you. You know, they say I’m not too terrible at this,” Waverly mimicked Nicole’s words from earlier with a bashful smile.

“You won’t hear me arguing,” Nicole chuckled and set her empty glass back on the table. “Chrissy told me that you, uh...that you had your own place.”

“She did, huh?” Waverly raised an eyebrow.

“Mhm. She did.”

“Well...I did. But that turned out to be a little girl’s dream that got too big.”

“At least you did it, right? I mean, most people just sit around dreaming. Think. Imagine how proud that little girl would have been if she saw what you did? Pretty proud.”

“No, I took on way more than I could handle,” Waverly shook her head and looked down at her empty plate.

“Maybe it was just bad timing. And, I doubt it,” Nicole winked at her.

“Yeah, maybe. But, either way, here I am. Back at home and trying to...figure out what’s next.”

“What’s next, I think, is chocolate cake.”

“Chocolate cake?” Waverly chuckled.

“Mm-hmm, vegan chocolate cake, at that.”

“Well, that was my other dream. So, how did you know?”

“You wanted to be a...vegan chocolate cake?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“That’s exactly what I wanted,” Waverly giggled, causing Nicole to laugh as well.

After they shared a slice of cake and had two more glasses of wine, they cleaned up the kitchen and found themselves staring at each other. Not in a standoff-ish way, but in more of a flirty kind of way. Waverly loved every second of it.

“Thanks for the company tonight. It was-- It was really great,” Waverly finally said.

“Well, it was my pleasure. And thank  _ you _ for cooking,” Nicole replied and Waverly shrugged. “So...can I walk you to your car?”

“Actually, I carpooled with Chrissy today, and the last bus left about an hour ago so…I’ve been trying to come up with like a clever way to ask for a ride,” Waverly admitted nervously.

“I can give you a ride, Waverly,” Nicole chuckled.

…

They pulled up to the front of Waverly’s apartment building and Nicole was captivated by the beauty of its exterior, the white Christmas lights and garland adorning every window and balcony casting an almost angelic glow behind Waverly.

“How long have you lived here? It’s gorgeous.”

“Not too long. I managed to use the money I had left from the City to snag this place with my sister, Wynonna, to make the rent easier to pay.”

“Well, I am impressed, Ms. Waverly Earp,” Nicole turned in her seat to face Waverly, their faces less than a foot apart.

“With what?” Waverly chuckled. “The fact that I’m not homeless or…?”

“Hey, I live in a hotel and all of my belongings are in suitcases, so...So, you are definitely amazing.”

Waverly felt her breath catch in her throat, all the air leaving her lungs at the sight of Nicole in the dimly lit parking lot of her apartment. The Christmas lights reflected in her beautiful brown eyes, and casted a shadow over her lips. She caught Nicole’s eyes darting from her eyes to her lips, and knew there was only one thing she could do to fight the fire she felt building between them.

Waverly closed the quickly diminishing gap between them, grabbing Nicole’s face with both of her hands and kissing her hard. Nicole’s hands flew to the back of Waverly’s neck, bringing her in as close as possible despite the center console essentially cock-blocking them. Waverly dropped her hands to the front of Nicole’s coat, gripping it tightly and found herself unable to contain her laughter.

She giggled into every kiss until Nicole joined her, feverishly kissing along her jaw and up to her ear. Waverly let herself go, soaking in the pleasure she’d been dying to feel since her last relationship ended, and moaned softly into Nicole’s ear. She brought their lips back together and it dawned on her what was actually happening.

“I can’t believe I’m kissing a celebrity,” Waverly breathed out between kisses.

Nicole froze, pulling away from Waverly slowly, and sat back in her seat. She closed her eyes and sighed quietly, chastising herself for letting things get too far out of her control.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, nothing, nothing. I--I just-- I don’t know if this is the best idea,” Nicole stammered. “I just...I get a lot of attention from the show. I didn’t even know you watched it.”

“I don’t. I don’t watch your show,” Waverly rushed out. “I was just saying I’m surprised. Like, in a good way. I feel really stupid—” She sat back in her seat, frustrated.

“Hang on, hang on. I don’t think I’m explaining this right,” Nicole reached a hand over and placed it on Waverly’s knee.

“You’re definitely not. You-- Goodnight, Nicole,” Waverly moved Nicole’s hand away and quickly exited the car.

Nicole watched Waverly leave and sighed when she disappeared into the building. She rubbed her face with both of her hands and leaned her head back against the seat.

“I am  _ such _ a jerk.”

Nicole looked back at the doors, hoping Waverly would come back out. When she didn’t, Nicole ran her fingers through her hair, and drove off.


	3. new beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you ready for this morning?”
> 
> Waverly took a sip of her coffee and hummed in thought. “Let me get halfway through this coffee first, and I will be.”
> 
> “Good,” Beth nodded and turned to walk toward her car, but stopped when she saw the look on Waverly’s face. “You good? Is everything alright?”
> 
> “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just...I’m ready,” Waverly nodded.
> 
> “Great,” Beth smiled and led them to her car. “It’s just a short drive from here. I figured you didn’t want to walk in this brutal cold.”
> 
> “You’d be correct in assuming so,” Waverly chuckled and got into the passenger seat.

The next morning, Waverly arrived to the lodge early. She couldn’t sleep after the previous night’s events, so she and Wynonna stayed up until the early hours of the morning watching House Hunters and drinking wine. Waverly spilled her guts to Wynonna about Nicole, and surprisingly all Wynonna had to say was, “If she hurts you, I won’t hesitate to make her disappear. I don’t care if she’s a celebrity or not.” It was a harsh threat, but the sentiment was still there and Waverly appreciated it.

With only a few hours of sleep under her belt, Waverly put on a smile and prepared for her meeting with Beth. They were going to Shorty’s to discuss an agreement the lodge had with Shorty, and to hopefully put down an offer to buy the cafe. Waverly wasn’t completely on board with the idea since it was his family’s business, but with Beth whispering in her ear about how it could become her own place one day, Waverly found it hard to argue. Beth met her in the lobby with two cups of coffee and greeted her with a side hug.

“Two milks, one sugar,” Beth handed Waverly the warm cup with a smile.

“Thank you. You’re a lifesaver,” Waverly graciously took the coffee and sighed.

“Are you ready for this morning?”

Waverly took a sip of her coffee and hummed in thought. “Let me get halfway through this coffee first, and I will be.”

“Good,” Beth nodded and turned to walk toward her car, but stopped when she saw the look on Waverly’s face. “You good? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just...I’m ready,” Waverly nodded.

“Great,” Beth smiled and led them to her car. “It’s just a short drive from here. I figured you didn’t want to walk in this brutal cold.”

“You’d be correct in assuming so,” Waverly chuckled and got into the passenger seat.

…

Nicole sat at a small table in the corner of Shorty’s, enjoying a cup of coffee and a gingerbread muffin. She sat and watched the small cafe become busy and alive with people from all corners of life, people from a small town who were almost like family, enjoy breakfast together. Nicole’s nose did not deceive her the day prior, smelling that delicious gingerbread fresh out of the oven. Shorty swore that he made the best in town, even better than the local bakeries, and Nicole had to agree.

“How’s that muffin treatin’ you?” Shorty asked after closing out a table’s bill.

“I have to say, Shorty, you were right. This is the best gingerbread I’ve ever had, and I happen to be an expert on gingerbread.”

“Are you, now?” Shorty laughed.

“Eh, just a little bit. And I’m gonna have to get that recipe from you. This lemon glaze is absolutely amazing, and is that a touch of cayenne I taste in there? You have to put at least a pinch in there.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I’m afraid that is a trade secret, Ms. Haught,” Shorty wagged a finger in Nicole’s direction.

“Okay, okay, I’m not gonna ask,” Nicole laughed and held her hands up in surrender.

Shorty laughed and picked up Nicole’s empty plate. “More coffee?”

“Actually, I should be getting to work. Got an early start today. But, can I get one to go?”

“Of course.”

“Actually...make that two, please,” Nicole smiled.

“Coming right up.”

“Thank you,” Nicole ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

She really messed things up with Waverly the night before, and she was determined to make it right. She knew the brunette would be at the lodge early, so she figured then was her best shot at talking to her alone with more time to explain herself better. The problem with Nicole was that she never knew how to put her thoughts into words properly, especially when she was flustered, and especially when she was in the presence of someone as beautiful as Waverly.

_ Just like with Shae.  _ Nicole thought with a sigh. She glanced around and her eyes landed on the Christmas tree Shorty had up near the cafe’s entrance and bit her lip. Shae loved the look of white lights on trees, but Nicole always argued that colored lights looked more traditional. Their first argument was over what color lights they were going to put on their tree for their first Christmas together.

Flashbacks to their last night together came crashing to the front of Nicole’s mind, their screams echoing in her head. She messed up then, she refused to mess up now. Events from the night before kept haunting her, mocking her and chastising her inability to formulate proper sentences around Waverly.

She had messed up, and she had messed up bad. She knew  _ exactly  _ what Waverly meant, and Nicole had to go and put her guards up again. She didn’t play the celebrity card often, in fact she preferred to not even mention it around people who clearly didn’t know who she was, so why then was that her first mode of self defence? The bell above the door rang and Nicole’s attention was torn from her nearly empty cup of coffee and drawn to…

“Waverly,” Nicole sighed under her breath.

“Here are those coffees you asked for,” Shorty set two to-go cups on the table before Nicole and smiled.

Nicole watched as he turned around and walked over to Waverly and Beth, striking up conversation with them immediately. She looked back down at the coffees and shook her head.  _ More for me, I guess. _

“Waverly! How good to see you!” Shorty greeted Waverly with a hug.

Shorty, this is Beth Gardner,” Waverly introduced the two. “She oversees the restaurant I work at.”

“The Homestead, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Shorty shook Beth’s hand firmly.

“Waverly, you were right. This place  _ is _ charming,” Beth looked around, smiling.

“Could we get a couple minutes after breakfast? We have a proposal we’d like to run by you,” Waverly asked.

“A proposal, eh? Haven’t had one of those since I asked my wife to marry me!” Shorty laughed, causing both Beth and Waverly to do the same. “Just sit down and I’ll be with you right after the rush, okay? Would you like some coffee?”

“Coffee for me and a tea for Waverly,” Beth smiled and sat down at a small table near the counter.

Waverly glanced around and found Nicole, her eyes lingering for a moment too long. She had seen the redhead when they walked in, but assumed her mind was playing tricks on her. Of course she would run into Nicole first thing the morning after an argument. Waverly sighed and shed her coat before sitting down across from Beth who also scanned the room.

She saw Nicole and quickly looked back to Waverly.

“You okay? What’s wrong?”

Waverly looked at her like a deer in headlights and shook her head. “Hm? Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Before Beth could pry further, Shorty returned with their drinks and two plates of food. “I figured you two could eat, so I bought you some food.”

He placed a plate of eggs benedict in front of Beth, and a plate of his signature vegan French toast in front of Waverly. They thanked him and Beth glanced at Waverly before leaning forward and smelling her food, the aroma filling her nostrils from the second the plate was on the table.

“Wow, you were right, Waverly. This smells incredible.”

“I told you,” Waverly forced a smile and glanced back at Nicole. “Dig in.”

Beth smiled and unwrapped her silverware, watching the woman across from her carefully. Something was definitely up between her head chef and her manager, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it.

Nicole kept her eyes trained on Waverly, looking at her with her peripheral vision. She played with the wooden coffee stirrer on the table and sighed. The one escape she thought she had in this stupid town was now a place she couldn’t go because  _ she _ was there. Images from the night before still danced fresh in Nicole’s memory: the glances, the light touches, the closeness and vulnerability. Things seemed to be going perfect until she fumbled her words like the dumb lesbian she was.

_ “I just- I don’t know if this is the best idea. I just...I get a lot of attention from the show. I didn’t even know you watched it.” _

_ “I don’t. I don’t watch your show. I was just saying I’m surprised. Like, in a good way. I feel really stupid—” _

_ “Hang on, hang on. I don’t think I’m explaining this right.” _

_ “You’re definitely not. Goodnight, Nicole.” _

Nicole slammed her hand down on the table, thankful for the sound of forks clinking against plates and loud conversation to hide the noise. She sighed and sat back in her chair, closing her eyes and counting backwards from 10. She hadn’t had a panic attack in a long time, but each time her anxiety crept back in it seemed to hit her harder than the last.

“Excuse me, are you Nicole Haught? Like  _ the _ Nicole Haught?” A foreign voice shook Nicole from her counting exercise. She opened one eye and saw a young woman with blonde hair standing across from her.

“Um…”

“OMG! You are! Do you mind if I sit with you?” The woman sat in the chair across from Nicole and took out her phone, instantly snapping a picture of her with the flash on.

Nicole winced and tried to speak up, wanting to ask what the name of this stranger was who was very clearly a fan. No words came out, and she sat there flustered and annoyed.

“My name is Stephanie and I’m, like, your biggest fan ever.”

“Heard that one before,” Nicole mumbled.

“Is it true that you came here from Texas?”

“I—”

“Did you think you would win  _ Can You Stand the Heat _ when Perry Crofte was also one of the finalists?”

“Well, actually—”

“And what about your wife? Your Wiki says you’re married but I don’t see a ring on your finger? Is there a reason for that?” Nicole snapped the coffee stirrer in half and dropped the pieces onto the table. Her breathing was uneven and her vision was becoming blurred.

“I-I have to go,” she stood abruptly and quickly made her way out of the cafe, being sure to avoid Waverly’s table.

She threw the coffee in the trashcan and got in her car, sighing heavily after shutting the door. Turning her engine on, the radio came to life instantly screaming an old Billy Joel song. Nicole groaned and slapped her hand over the power button, shutting the song off. She rested her head against the steering wheel and closed her eyes, willing her phone to ring or for a text to come through, anything to keep her mind distracted, but alas nothing happened.

After a few silent moments, Nicole slowly sat up and secured her seatbelt, connecting her phone to the car’s bluetooth, and shuffled her playlist. Immediately, the first six notes of Queen’s “Under Pressure” sounded through the speakers and she took off out of the parking lot, deciding to take the long way back to her hotel. She slid her Aviators on, rolled down the window, and let the crisp winter air fill her lungs as she drove down every back road she could find.

…

Waverly watched Nicole exit the building, a woman she identified as Stephanie Jones was following her. Waverly rolled her eyes and shook her head.

After the morning rush died down, Shorty sat down to speak with Beth and Waverly. The three conversed for nearly an hour, discussing potential buys and sells, a future contract with the lodge and full rebranding for the cafe. The whole thing made Shorty uncomfortable, and Waverly knew it, but she figured that if they could sweet talk him just enough, she could work with him to keep the place as close to how it was now as possible. It had been her dream to open a cafe in Purgatory, but none of the other coffee shops or small diners were as successful as Shorty’s. Shorty’s was the town favorite, which meant it was also Waverly’s favorite. The last thing she wanted was to rip a family business from the hands of the man who helped her get on her feet with cooking.

Waverly made a silent pact to herself that if this deal went through, she would allow Shorty to have full control of everything next to owning the place. She didn’t care if that meant going against Mercedes and Beth’s wishes, or breaking whatever contract they were surely already drafting. Shorty was an Earp family friend, and long time contributor to her late uncle’s tomato farm. She wanted to help him while also helping herself, so of course she was trying to signal to Shorty that she had everything under control.

The entire conversation, the former bar owner kept eyeing Waverly, who just nodded in reply in an attempt to assure him everything was going to be fine. It hardly helped. Time passed on and before they knew it, the early afternoon coffee drinkers were beginning to make their appearance, causing Shorty to cut the meeting short (well, shorter than Beth would have liked). Together, the three of them rose from their chairs and headed for the door.

“I hope to see you again soon,” Shorty said to Waverly.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” Waverly smiled and slid her coat on.

“I hope so,” Shorty smiled.

“If you have any questions, please call me. I’d be happy to go over anything to help you decide.”

“I’ll have a look at it and, uh...make a decision,” Shorty nodded shortly.

“It was lovely meeting you. We hope to hear from you soon,” Beth smiled and shook Shorty’s hand.

“If my Waverly’s involved, I’m sure it’ll work out. Which reminds me, I met somebody else who works at the resort. Nicole? Nicole Haught.”

“Oh, so she was just here for breakfast,” Waverly replied.

“No, actually she came by yesterday.”

“Oh!” Waverly tried to hide her surprise and glanced at Beth. She shook her head and looked back to Shorty saying, “Anyway, thank you, so much. I’ll see you soon.”

Waverly gave the older man a quick hug and made a swift exit with Beth, trying to ignore the thoughts of Nicole in her head.

…

Waverly decided it was no use going home before her shift so she texted Wynonna and asked if she wanted to grab a coffee and sit in the lobby with her to pass the time. Considering it was her day off and she needed to get more information on what exactly had gone down the night before with her sister and Nicole, Wynonna found herself walking through the sliding lodge doors in minutes.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Red?” Wynonna asked as she sat down.

“What?” Waverly looked at her sister, shocked.

“What the hell happened with you and sexy celebrity chef Nicole Haught? All you said was that last night was ‘too much to talk about’ but I’m now assuming that isn’t a good thing.”

“Wynonna…”

“Come on, Waves. You were out late and she dropped you off. What happened?”

Waverly sighed and launched into an abridged version of the same story she told Chrissy. She mentioned the dinner, the stories swapped, the subtle flirting all through the night, their kiss. The whole time she spoke, Waverly kept her eyes away from the restaurant, knowing Nicole was in there, and found interest in the buttons of her work shirt sleeve.

Wynonna stayed quiet while Waverly spoke, knowing prude comments and jokes were only going to get her a slap on the wrist and an intense glare. Waverly finished and let out a sigh, slowly sinking back into the lobby couch she was seated on. Wynonna stared at her sister, her eyebrows knitted together in thought. 

“So, you made the first move but Nicole had been dropping hints all night. And when you kissed her,” Wynonna paused to gag, “you made a comment about her being a celebrity and she freaked out?”

Waverly didn’t reply, staring at Wynonna with a look that said  _ really? You just repeated what I said! _

“Do I need to kick her ass? Because I won’t hesitate hiding this badge and doing some real damage to that pretty face of hers. I don’t care if she’s famous or not.”

“That’s the whole issue here, Wyn,” Waverly sat up and covered her face. “I made it a big deal that she  _ is _ famous and she...freaked out about it. It’s almost like she doesn’t even want to be.”

“So...no face smashing?”

“She isn’t at fault here, so no.”

“Well, the offer will always be on the table for future instances,” Wynonna replied, almost disappointed.

“Besides, I don’t need you getting arrested again. Dolls almost had a stroke the last time he walked into the station and saw you in the holding cell.”

“Pete York had it coming, and I have zero regrets about driving his stupid souped up pickup off the road.”

Waverly chuckled and shook her head. “You really are a lot to handle sometimes.”

“You’re both at fault, you know,” Wynonna said after a while.

“Huh?” Waverly raised an eyebrow at her sister.

“If you want to get technical about it and point fingers, both of you are to blame for what happened.”

“You really don’t know how to cheer someone up, do you?”

“Think about it. You made a comment that came off in a way you didn’t intend it to, and so did Haught. You both, like, gay panicked and did the stereotypical sapphic thing.”

“Which is…?”

“Fumbled over your words in the presence of an attractive person?”

“Okay, there’s a lot to unpack here since you’re dropping words like ‘gay panic’ and ‘sapphic,’ but my first question is when the hell did you become a voice of reason?”

“Nicole seems to make you happy, at least to some extent. Ever since word dropped that the celebrity chef from nowhere Texas was working at the lodge I saw a change in you.”

“Yeah, it’s called aggravation. Being forced to work with someone you don’t want anything to do with.”

“You say that, and yet you kissed her. And it very clearly seems like you enjoyed it.”

“That is  _ not _ —”

“Waves!” Waverly looked up and saw Chrissy motioning for her to come to the restaurant. “Impromptu staff meeting.”

Waverly sighed and groaned, slowly standing up. She looked down at Wynonna who reflected her annoyed expression. The two had barely spent any time together the last few days and it was starting to really frustrate them both. Wynonna rose from her seat and draped an arm over Waverly’s shoulders.

“I can sneak in there with you, if you want. Beth and Mercedes love me. I’m sure they won’t care.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, but thank you anyway,” Waverly leaned her head against Wynonna’s shoulder.

“Promise you’ll try to be home for movie night tonight? Unless you and Haught Damn decide to talk things out after your shift.”

“I’ll be home, Wyn,” Waverly assured with a smile and quickly followed Chrissy.

…

“Everybody!” Mercedes clapped her hands together and the crowd of kitchen staff quieted down. “As you all know, tonight the restaurant will be closed for our annual charity dinner. It’s all in the spirit of Christmas, of course, but if it happens to throw a bit of publicity our way, so be it.”

Mercedes went on to explain that some of Purgatory’s wealthiest citizens would be attending the dinner, and how it was important they were treated with the utmost respect as the lodge was largely funded by their donations. As she spoke, Nicole found herself scanning the group of people before her. 

She tried to avoid Waverly’s eyes, but seeing as she and Chrissy were standing front and center...well, that proved to be nearly impossible. She let her eyes settle on the small brunette who had her gaze locked onto Mercedes. Chrissy noticed Nicole’s stare and smirked so she gently nudged waverly with her elbow.

“Don’t look now, but  _ someone _ is throwing you some major eye attention,” Chrissy whispered. Waverly’s eyes flickered over to Nicole for half a second before she looked down at the floor. Her heart fluttered at the way Nicole was looking at her like a hurt puppy.

“Let’s do some good!” Mercedes’ voice brought Waverly back to the present and knocked Nicole out of her daze.

Waverly quickly made her way into the kitchen when the group broke from the meeting and Nicole went to follow her, but she was stopped by Mercedes who started saying something of mild importance to Nicole, but she couldn’t find a care to pay attention. She let her eyes follow Waverly until she disappeared.

This was going to be a lot harder than Nicole thought.


End file.
